Killed it this morning. Wordle 248 2/6 ⬜🟨⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

This whole thread has a weird vibe to me. I honestly thought it was going to be a bunch of religious fundamentalists yapping about how homosexuality is rare, a personal choice, yadda yadda. Instead, it's a thread about how gay/bi one has to be "qualify" as LGBTQ with a mix of hetero tears re how being LGBTQ is now being used as affirmative action. Strange. I guess, I live in such a laid back environment that most people don't care that much about one's LGBTQ credentials. You do you.

How does this make space for bi people? What if you've just lived your life loving the people that you've loved, having sex with the people you were attracted to, checked the box for the sexual identity that most honestly matches your desires and life experience, and tried to help others that love people of the same sex to break into big law firm life?

Wait, what? I'm culturally appropriating by checking the bisexual box when I accurately identify my sexuality on a form? And I was a colonizing dick by being on the LGBTQ committee at my firm, which sought to make a stodgy white shoe law firm a more diverse and inclusive place by recruiting more LGBTQ attorneys? How many relationships with women do I need to have before I'm no longer culturally appropriating? Are sexual encounters sufficient to make someone bi? Do they need to be fully out before they can claim the label? This seems like an awful lot of policing people's sexual orientation, IMO.

Same. I've been married for almost 15 years, but if my husband passed, I doubt I would have another relationship with a man. I was involved with my firm's LGBTQ outreach committee, but mostly I don't really talk about being bi unless I get a question on some demographic form.

Thank you for mentioning this. I always think of this devastating image when I think of that time. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/san-francisco-gay-mens-chorus-aids-epidemic/ For those too young to really remember that time, I highly recommend the film, "And the Band Played On." I recently watched the series, "It's A Sin," which was also heartbreaking. There is also "Angels in America," "How To Survive A Plague," and of course, "Philadelphia."

We heard back from SOHS re financial aid for next year and because Sacha is now a returning student, they were very generous with our aid package. Since I returned to work, I am not sure how much that will change in the coming years, but at least for this year, he can go full-time without it putting us into BK. In addition, Sacha's charter school has basically said that they are unlikely to be able to accommodate him going forward (because he's gotten too advanced), so he is going to give SOHS a shot full-time next year to see how he does before making a commitment re high school. We met with his counselor this morning about his course selection, and he has to petition for approval since 3 of his classes are high school level. He is petitioning to take: Single Variable Calculus (in lieu of their BC class, since he doesn't care about taking the AP test) Honors Chemistry Data Structures Human Nature and Society A full course load at SOHS is typically 4-5 classes, but we think that 4 classes will be plenty challenging for him, given the rigor and his 2e issues. Hopefully, he will still have time for Parkour, Guitar, Civil Air Patrol, and just being a teenager. If he succeeds next year, then I think that we will all have confidence that he's found the right fit for high school. And if going FT proves to be too challenging, then we will know to find another solution for HS. Hopefully, they will approve his petitions or give us some other good options for him. I am honestly happy to have the hand-holding, at this point.

Even Quark and Lewelma's math prodigies thought that Intermediate NT was super hard, so that put the fear of G-d in me about that class! And if SDMof3's boy says the same (I know her son too) -- I definitely wouldn't take it before Calculus! 🙂

Does anyone have a rigorous book or videos that they recommend to go along with AoPS pre-calculus that has more explicit instruction? I think my DS could benefit from some supplemental materials and practice. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Wendy, Having not worked through the AoPS courses (beyond Beast) with Sacha, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this. I like to think of myself as fairly good at math, but I know that there is no way that I would be able to learn math in the way that you explained it here. I would love to work on AoPS problems, because I enjoy challenging problems, but to *learn* the math from the outset this way, without the benefit of a live teacher to walk me through it? Yeah, no. I can really see now why even some very mathy kids would struggle with this method and why Sacha is now asking me for more explicit (and live) instruction. I can also see why this method may also be a very poor fit for my younger DS, who while very good at math, struggles with frustration tolerance, anxiety, perfectionism, and confidence issues that older DS doesn't. So again, thank you. This is very very helpful. Not to completely change the subject, but does anyone have a rigorous book or videos they recommend to go along with AoPS pre-calculus that has more explicit instruction? I think Sacha could benefit from some supplemental materials and practice. I might cross-post this on the high school board as well. Thanks in advance.

That all sounds incredibly mature, L. As I recall, our boys are only around 6 months or so apart in age, and I can tell you that I am not seeing anywhere near that level of maturity with my DS. I read your paragraph to my DH and asked him if he thought our DS was showing that kind of maturity and he also said, "not at all." So, I think that is pretty awesome.

My oldest has done: Math Mammoth (too many problems) Singapore Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems (better than MM for him) Beast Academy (starting at book 3 when they came out -- he did books 3 and 4 with me, then went to AoPS Academy for BA 5) AoPS Pre-A at the Academy AoPS Algebra I with part of Intro CP at the Academy AoPS Intro NT (online) AoPS Geometry (online) AoPS Intermediate Algebra (online) AoPS Pre-Calculus (online) -- current course Going forward, his path is likely to be something like this: 8th SOHS Single Variable Calculus 9th SOHS Multi Variable Calculus 10th SOHS Linear Algebra & Differential Equations 11th SOHS Modern Algebra & Real Analysis 12th SOHS Discrete Math & Complex Analysis My youngest did Singapore and then went into Beast with their 2nd grade books.

Wordle has gotten too easy, so I just started playing Quordle. This was my first attempt and I solved it, but barely. quordle.com 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I am so so sorry for your loss. May your father's memory be for a blessing. Sending love and prayers that you are supported during this dark time.

Tdap (aka Boostrix) is every 10 years in the US, or if you are going to be around an infant. We have quite a bit of pertussis in the US because of anti-vaxxers. Also, the acellular version of the vaccine has less side effects, but also wanes faster, so people really do need to be boosted. Most of the time, when infants die of pertussis, it is because they are too young to be vaccinated and they get it from caregivers who haven't been boosted. So, our strategy is to cocoon the baby around boosted folks as much as possible. You will have a sore arm, as is typical, but tends not to generate a lot of side effects for most folks. Shingrix I highly recommend because shingles is awful and very very common. It causes nerve pain that can get in your eyes, your groin, it just sucks. And people get it younger and younger. You can get Shingrix after age 50. Two doses, spaced 2-6 months apart. That's all you need. It can be pretty reactogenic for a lot of people (especially the second shot), so get it over a weekend or when you have some time off. I highly recommend it, but just mentally prepare for some down time in case you need it. Doesn't happen to everyone, of course, but I always like to warn people before I give it.

The best us poor folk can do is own real estate ETFs. Since we can't afford to, you know, own actual real estate anymore. At least we can make some money back on them fleecing us.

They won't. They will experience what we have been experiencing in the larger cities for quite some time: increasing homelessness, wealth disparity and greater concentration in fewer [older gen] hands, and increases in deaths of despair.

I dunno. I look around with the climate changing and I think these issues are going to be playing a greater and greater role going forward. There are issues related to erosion, sea level rise, and hurricanes (in some places) if you are on the water. There are issues related to drought and increasing fire danger. There are shifting weather patterns affecting increasing temperatures and the severity/path of winter storms, etc. It seems prudent IMHO to buy with climate change in mind, but it's very local with lots of little micro climates. You cannot just say it's wise to buy in X city or avoid Y state because there are so many regional micro climates. But, most of the time, I am quite happy to pay the sunshine tax to avoid dealing with the daily weather hassles that most everyone else thinks of as normal (aka seasons). I never knew how spoiled I was, having grown up in So Cal, until I stepped outside of my little bubble, and realized that most of the rest of the world doesn't get 10 inches of rain/year and 72F avg daily temps with +/- 10 degrees. https://www.sandiego.org/plan/weather.aspx

We've been trying to buy since 2016, and have just given up for the time being. No one wanted to take my VA home loan entitlement because they all wanted 15 day mortgages and all cash buyers, paying 100k over list. It was just too depressing, so I took my emotional cards off the table. I got burned in the last recession by buying at the top of the market. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, yeah, no. So, now we are renting for $4400/month. It's a ludicrous amount of money, but at least I can sleep at night. <Bangs head on table>

None of us have, but I am pretty sure the jig will be up soon, as I am now working in a Covid ICU. I've had 4 shots, wear an N95 (or a PAPR) + goggles/PPE + the air is HEPA filtered in Covid positive patient rooms, but I think that I'm the only nurse in our ICU that hasn't had it yet. With all the data coming out about neuro and t-cell damage from repeat infections (even mild infections), I wish I could just mainline vaccine.

Emily, did your DS take the AP Calc BC exam? My DS has always taken AoPS math, but he is leaning towards taking SOHS for AP Calc BC (if they will let him in) because he feels like he prefers a live video-based class at this point. But, as with Blue Tent, he's concerned about the workload, since he's so used to the AoPS style of doing a few really hard problems each week. He's only 13 and does all of his math online with Latex. I have no idea how.

Oh mama, sending you both big hugs. Nursing school is so dang competitive!! It is ridiculous. It was easier for me to get into law school than nursing school by far!! Keep your chin up. Wishing her more good news soon.

Omg yes. BTDT.

Is he taking any meds? That helped my 2e kids quite a bit. I would definitely recommend the Art of Problem Solving for math. My oldest really enjoyed the science courses at Art of Inquiry as well. Online G3 and Athena's Advanced Academy are also beloved providers of online classes for gifted kids. For grammar, the Michael Clay Thomson materials. My kids have also liked a lot of different Outschool classes. You can sort by popularity to see which get good reviews.

It's that time of year again, so let's chat about plans!! Updating from my 2021 post, I graduated from nursing school last June and, after 7 long months of rejections, was finally able to land a position as an ICU nurse. I am starting this week and will be working nights. Due to Covid, Sacha's bar mitzvah trip got bumped to the fall of 2022 instead of 2021. By some miracle, he was admitted to SOHS and has really enjoyed the class he took there this year. They admitted him with the option to attend full-time, so he is trying to decide whether to continue with our current hybrid model or to go there FT for high school. Ronen has made tons of progress with his special ed services and now is reading very well. He also moved to the same charter as his brother and really enjoys it, but we are trying to decide if he would benefit from going to a regular brick and mortar school FT. His math skills and interest in science continue to impress me. Sacha (8th grade): Math: SOHS AP Calculus BC Science: He took Derek Owens Honors Physics this year. He is thinking about taking either Honors or AP Chem at SOHS or Gen Chem at the CC. Language Arts: The bane of his existence. He struggled with his writing class at Integritas this year and with Davidson the year before. He is really over doing literary analysis, so he switched to doing debate and book clubs for now. The writing intensive curriculum at SOHS is the main thing holding him back from wanting to go there FT, so he is still deciding what to do for next year re writing. I think he will likely take Freshman Composition at the CC just so he can knock it out in a semester and be done with it for the rest of the year. Social Studies: He is leaning towards either AP or DE Micro or Macro. Programming: He took C++ at SOHS this year and AP CS at CTY the year before, so hopefully he is ready for the Data Structures class at SOHS. Extracurriculars: He is loving Civil Air Patrol and is learning to fly gliders. He's also been doing MOEMS, some coding competitions, and the AMCs. He did a genetics camp over winter break that he really enjoyed. The institute has other science camps, so I imagine that he will continue those. The boys take Parkour classes on weekends for PE. Guitar has kinda dropped off, but I know that he enjoys playing, so hopefully that will pick back up. Ronen (3rd grade -- if we continue to homeschool): Math: Beast Academy online class Science: I'd like to find him some cool Outschool or other online classes, still TBD Language Arts: He is doing well with Spelling You See, Writing With Ease, grammar with MCT, and reading from various booklists History: Lately, we have been reading together from SOTW, and he seems to enjoy it. I would also like to get him some Outschool or other online social studies courses as well, but still TBD on specifics Elective: He is taking enrichment classes at his charter (Spanish, coding, art, etc.), so we would continue that Extracurriculars: Parkour, but I would love to get him involved in something else -- just not sure what What are your thoughts about next year?